When Philip
first appeared he was the manager of the Pacific Bank (and played by
Christopher Milne). Philip's first wife was killed in a car crash which left
him paralysed and confined to a wheelchair. He got married again soon after
to bank clerk Julie Robinson and left Ramsay Street with his new wife and
the two children Michael and Debbie from his previous marriage When the
Martin family made their return to Ramsay Street following Todd's death,
Philip was now played by Ian Rawlings but more surprisingly fully recovered
from the paralysis he had when he left! Philip now had a second daughter,
Hannah, from his marriage with Julie. Philip's marriage to Julie went
through various rocky patches, and when Julie died under suspicious
circumstances after arguing with Philip the police suspected Philip of foul
play. Philip was cleared of all blame for Julie's death, but was left to
bring up the children alone, except for the help of his grandmother-in-law
Helen. Since Julie's death, Philip has had long term romances with medical
student Jen Handley and physiotherapist Ruth Wilkinson. Philip's career path
has been anything but typical... From an unemployed financial expert he
became the manager of the Lassiter's hotel complex after a brief stint as
the school caretaker. He then ran his own news agency business in Lassiter's
arcade, then sold it to become a romance writer with the pseudonym 'Philippa
Martinez' and finally came full circle to being a financial advisor again!